Umberto Caltabiano

Average: 4.92/5

About the Chef

Specialising in Sicilian cuisine, Somerset-based Chef Umberto Caltabiano offers his services as a personal chef, caterer and cooking teacher specialising in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.
Umberto grew up on the beautiful island of Sicily where he learned to cook with his grandmother. Over the past 20 years he ha......Specialising in Sicilian cuisine, Somerset-based Chef Umberto Caltabiano offers his services as a personal chef, caterer and cooking teacher specialising in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.
Umberto grew up on the beautiful island of Sicily where he learned to cook with his grandmother. Over the past 20 years he has worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Amsterdam, London, Bristol and Bath. Umberto's passion for sharing Sicilian food is driven by his love for this unique cuisine: the product of a vast array of culinary influences, including Greek, Roman, Arab, Spanish and French cuisines.
Sicilian Donkey arancini, panelle, caponata and cannoli are conversation-starting menu items that will delight you and your guests.
Now based in Somerset, he is enormously excited by the great local produce on his doorstep and using these ingredients to produce the deceptively-simple dishes for which Italy is famed. Always learning and loving to try out new dishes, Umberto is experimenting with spice and Ottolenghi-inspired Mediterranean food. Having worked in Bristol's acclaimed Souk Kitchen, he is now bringing fantastic Middle Eastern menus to happy clients.
Before moving to Somerset, he lived and worked in London finding an appreciative audience for his food through an online gourmet takeaway service and providing quirky celebration feasts for weddings, birthdays and anniversary parties as well as the seasonal menu of modern British classics.Read allHide

25 client reviews

Chef Umberto was fantastic - cooked us an amazing vegetarian Sunday roast and crumble for pudding! A hit with all 9 of us inc. grandparents and kids!

Fiona B.(Host),
on
14/10/2018

The whole process was made incredibly easy by La Belle Assiette. Our chef Umberto was superb in every way and we woundn’t hesitiate to book him again.

Zelinda A.(Host),
on
28/08/2018

Right from the start he was so professional , always on top of emails , coming up with lots of ideas for the menu , nothing was too much trouble .

And what a chef, absolutely brilliant . The meal he cooked for us was superb, all our guests were bowled over , by the presentation , the wonderful flavours , the high standard of the ingredients , and not to forget his friendly charm which was so important .
He was happy to talk to any guests who had an interest in how he was cooking .

He came into a kitchen he did not know and cooked us a feast !

He didn’t fuss , he never intruded , it was an absolute pleasure to meet such a talented chef .

His food gave my husband a 70th birthday meal ,none of us will ever forget .

I think the greasiest compliment was , after it was over, all the guests were trying to work out when they themselves could find something to celebrate in order to get Umberto back to cook again !

Whoever hires Umberto to cook for them in the future is incredibly lucky .

Carol W.(Host),
on
06/08/2018

Umberto cooked a Sicilian menu which was designed and adapted to accommodate 6 adults, one of whom is vegan, and one child. We chose to celebrate my husband's 70th birthday at a holiday lodge with our family and were recommended La Belle Assiette. We were then put in touch with Umberto who was both flexible in designing the menu and has a good knowledge of vegan recipes.We were so impressed with Umberto's calm and professional manner throughout the experience. He was brilliant in delivering delicious and well cooked Sicilian food, in particular the imaginative vegan alternatives.

Jenny D.(Host),
on
03/08/2018

The whole experience was very easy - we’d chosen a chef and menu we liked and were then contacted by La Belle Assiette to say that chef was no longer available but Umberto was and would be happy to take over the menu. We agreed a slightly amended menu with him that catered for both gluten free and a one guest who was vegetarian. Umberto’s food was absolutely delicious and he was lovely and friendly. He coped well with an AGA and overall it was a fabulous 70th family birthday celebration. We’d definitely recommend Umberto’s cooking to others.

Margaret B.(Host),
on
24/07/2018

We had Umberto as our chef for a 70th birthday family dinner for 9. He arrived promptly as planned and within minutes had the kitchen organised and was calm and even unflustered by having to use an Aga cooker!! the food was delicious, well presented, the sauces were so tasty, everyone was very impressed with the standard of the meal, and the portion sizes were perfect.Umberto seem to manage being chef, waiter, and kitchen washer upper with no problem at all. I would definitely have him again his Sicilian/Italian cooking was scrumptious and La Belle Assiette have also been an excellent team who have kept in touch and made changes easy.

Umberto was a great chef, our kitchen was immaculate after he left. The food was great, no pressure on timing. In particular the beef main course was amazing. Highly recommended

Mark H.(Host),
on
18/06/2018

After my initial enquiry everything was smooth from start to finish... they very punctual on replying to any question I had about the food, cost etc...

Chef Umberto was outstanding, food was fantastic and we also had a couple of vegan diners and their food was delightful as well. Everything was perfect, Umberto arrived on time and the food was just as he had described it. Presentation was immaculate with all the courses complementing each other very nicely.

I have no complaints and would recommend his services again and again.

Anna D.(Host),
on
14/06/2018

We were really impressed with the whole service. Very straightforward to book, all questions answered. The chef was brilliant and provided a perfect menu tailor made to our requirements. He was very communicative before the event, very professional and the food was gorgeous! Everyone was really impressed.

Amanda D.(Guest),
on
26/05/2018

Umberto cooked a fantastic dinner for us last Saturday. We were a group of five and chose the four course design your own menu. It was booked with very short notice and Umberto was very efficient in sending through some lovely choices that met our dietary requirements after a brief conversation. On the day, the food Umberto cooked was wonderful (both taste and presentation) and he was a pleasure to have around - he arrived promptly, prepared the food efficiently and he was unobtrusive. We would love to have him cook for us again and if we are ever in the same area we will certainly be in touch.

Felicity T.(Host),
on
03/12/2017

Umberto was a replacement chef as the original chef turned out to be double-booked. Umberto was helpful and completely flexible when it came to my proposed amendments to the menu, and the food on the night was absolutely superb. He was efficient, pleasant and interesting and I cannot praise him too highly.

Robert D.(Host),
on
04/09/2017

Umberto arrived on time and set about creating the meal in a very professional manner while cheerfully answering questions from interested guests. All of the courses were exceptional from the chefs assortment of canapes to the delicious sweat. The whole experience exceeded my expectations due to chef Umberto's cheerful disposition and undoubted professional ability, making my wife's birthday a day to remember.

Charlie J.(Host),
on
20/08/2017

Umberto was great and his food was amazing. He was very friendly and polite. When he arrived he got straight down to work. His food was delicious and he left the kitchen cleaner than when he arrived. There was an issue when our original choice of chef wasn't available but Umberto stepped in last minute and did a great job.

Janet W.(Host),
on
03/06/2017

The meal by Umberto for our father's 90th birthday celebration was simply wonderful! We LOVED every bite! Umberto was the perfect chef - very well organized, served everything with the agreed timing - and graciously worked with what we had available to us at the Landmark Trust Woodspring Priory (a great place to stay by the way). The flavours in every dish were delightful - and everything looked beautiful too. Eating our meal out in the church part of The Priory at the dining table there was really special. Umberto was very professional from the moment he stepped into the kitchen to the moment he left. It was a real treat to walk into the kitchen and see it perfectly cleaned up. Normally, I would not get to enjoy the meal so much, because I would be running around in the kitchen and then also doing the clean-up. I really appreciated being able to fully participate in our celebration meal (and my cooking is nowhere near as good as Umberto's!). I highly recommend La Belle Assiette and Chef Umberto Caltabiano. Everything worked just perfectly from the time that we booked online with La Belle Assiette through to our wonderful meal. Thank you!

Jen H.(Host),
on
10/03/2017

After a small mishap with the original booking, Umberto stepped in to be our chef for gourmet Italian evening. A complete pleasure from start to finish, he shaped the menu perfectly, suggested matching wines and on the day was warm and professional. Not to mention preparing better than restaurant quality food - amazing!!! - and leaving the kitchen spotless.

Lesley P.(Host),
on
14/09/2016

On the professional side, Umberto arrived when he said he would, prepared amazing food, and tidied everything away ... leaving the kitchen as it was when he arrived. He definitely has a passion for food! On the personal side, having Umberto around was a real pleasure. Umberto made a very special family occasion even more special.

Stuart T.(Guest),
on
05/09/2016

Umberto was phenomenal. A truly fantastic experience and exceptional food was made :) he's an amazing chef a great teacher and all round top guy. Would thoroughly recommend him to anyone. Thank you so much for this brilliant experience :)

Clodagh D.(Host),
on
26/08/2016

After our original chef had cancelled, Umberto kindly stepped in...and we were not disappointed. He arrived on time, set himself up and cooked a wonderful meal for us all. He then cleared everything up after himself (he even mopped the floor)! I would highly recommend Umberto to cater any event. He has a clear passion for food. Thank you.

Amy R.(Host),
on
05/10/2015

Once again, Umberto's food was extraordinarily good and attracted glowing comments from our customers. He was also punctual, professional and courteous. Highly recommended!

Amy R.(Host),
on
15/09/2015

Umberto's food was delicious, inventive and beautifully presented, with great attention to detail. He was also absolutely charming as well as professional. I'm delighted that he will be catering our next event as I know I won't have to worry about anything!

Hannah L.(Guest),
on
19/06/2015

Umberto was a fantastic chef, all courses were perfectly arranged and looked beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and as host was amazed at the fact at how subtle and friendly his presence was. He even did alternative courses for my friend who was allergic to more than half of the menu. Wonderful. Would use Belle Assiette again and have recommended to everyone.

Rachel T.(Guest),
on
12/06/2015

The food was lush! With gorgeous weather we were stood outside with drinks and were brought our amuse bouche, which was a very delicious start to the evening. The food was delicate and full of flavour and the main with the edible flowers was such a pretty dish, I didn't want to eat it! The guys made some incredibly beautiful and tasty food and we didn't even know they were there....seamless service! Thank you

Gemma W.(Guest),
on
12/06/2015

My friend hosted this dinner in her fairly small city flat. I therefore approached the evening with a certain amount of trepidation, wondering whether it would feel awkward having strangers cooking in very close proximity to where we were trying to enjoy our dinner party. However, incredibly considering the available space, the chef and his assistant were remarkably unobtrusive (whilst still being friendly) and we had an absolutely fabulous evening of really beautifully presented, delicious food. I have challenging dietary requirements (no dairy, no rice, no gluten) and the chef therefore produced a different amuse bouche, starter and dessert especially for me. The celeriac canneloni starter was spectacular. At the end of the night, the host was convinced her kitchen was left cleaner that it had started. All she had to was clear away the wine glasses! Highly recommended.

Kevin T.(Host),
on
04/01/2015

The meal was absolutely outstanding. Umberto was a a gentleman all through the meal and was very easy to talk to and very friendly. He served us wine throughout and the presentation of the food was also fantastic. It was a great night and I would definitely recommend this service and this chef to anyone. I will no doubt use this company again and I will also look particular to ask for this chef!

The Chef Umberto Caltabiano in 5 questions

Describe your cooking style !

Fresh and vibrant - simplicity allows the ingredients to shine. I source top quality, high welfare ingredients locally. You will not find tiny portions, foams or chemicals in my food - just hearty and delicious modern Italian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern feasts. I make fresh pasta just like my nonna used to make and love to wow guests with my arancini canapés. I'm a massive fan of Middle Eastern cooking having learned about spicing and flavours in Bristol's acclaimed Souk Kitchen.

What is your signature dish?

Sicilian Arancini. Traditionally a dish made from leftovers - risotto and ragu - my Nonna taught me to make this Sicilian street food speciality. The rice is filled with ragu and pieces of melting cheese, breaded and deep-fried. It's a street food in Siciliy - a portable meal like the Cornish pasty. In the past three years I have been perfecting a wide variety of artisan arancini. Mini arancini are very popular canapés.

Why are you a private Chef ?

I fell into it while running a gourmet takeaway business in London. I started catering for events and parties and cooking celebratory feasts for families in holiday lets and I was instantly hooked. In a restaurant situation, the chef is estranged from the client. As a private chef, I can see firsthand the pleasure my food is giving and it makes me proud. British people are proper foodies now and love to watch me prepare the food and ask questions. It's fun!

The first dish I ever cooked was...

Melanzane parmigiana - aubergine parmigiana. Layers of aubergine with a tasty tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesans. This can be enhanced with boiled eggs to add a delightfully unctuous richness. Fantastic with a simple green salad,

What do you do when you are not cooking ?

If I'm not cooking, I'm working in my prep kitchen developing a menu for my new Sicilian Street food venture. I'm planning some traditional stalwarts as well as some surprising fusion treats. Arancini will star of course but I'm also planning to sell panelle (chick pea fritters) caponata (a delicious aubergine stew) cannoli (Sicilian pastries with sweetened ricotta in lots of flavours) and lots more.